One More Chance
by Umayar
Summary: Kakashi Hatake had his post-Hokage life all planned out and it involved peaceful days of solitude. His biggest mistake was failing to factor in a meddlesome student.


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**Polite, constructive criticism** is appreciated and has a much higher chance of being implemented and answered.

**Warning: OCs, OOC characters, and a few other strange things.**

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**ONE MORE CHANCE**

In the stillness of a village slumbering under the starry sky, a lone white-haired man sat by his table wondering why he was doing the very job he had gladly forfeited mere weeks ago. Barely two months earlier when he relinquished the seat of Hokage, Kakashi Hatake had made grand plans of restarting his life as an ordinary ninja — filled with legwork and far away from the ever growing paperwork that burdened the village Chief. He had formulated the perfect plan to spend his retirement; he would spend a quiet, peaceful life with a few easy missions here and there, may be train another batch of genins, and serve as an advisor to his successor, living out the rest of his days in solitude without bossy, nagging people following him around and leaking killer intent whenever things did not go their way. Yet, on this silent night, it seemed to the retired Hokage that his successor had his own plans for him, the top-most of which included wreaking havoc on his mentor's life.

Kakashi wiped his face in frustration as he continued to peruse the files Naruto had given him. His plight had started a week earlier when Naruto had called him in to his office and handed him a folder, telling him to choose potential candidates for a wife by the end of the week or one would be chosen for him. Any protest Kakashi could voice was shot down by two words from his former student — direct order. Student or not, the blond brat was now Hokage, which meant that Kakashi had to comply with his directives or face disobedience charges — regardless of his status as the most powerful figure in Konoha until a few weeks ago — and so he had begrudgingly accepted his Chief's command. Yet, contrary to his usual tendencies — which he now thought was a bad idea — he had put off making a decision until the last moment and was now dealing with the consequences. Letting out another sigh, Kakashi rubbed his eyes hoping to relieve the strain on them while pondering, in hindsight, if he should have made a law forbidding future Hokages from interfering in their predecessors' lives.

Giving a longing glance to his bed, Kakashi turned his attention back to the sheaf of papers in front of him. Only the basic information of the women was provided; their names, date of birth, history, profession, family, likes and dislikes, and a photograph on the top-right corner. Based on that, Kakashi had divided the candidates in to two piles. At least he had something to show when the overly cheerful woman Naruto had assigned for his matchmaking knocked on his door the next morning. The veteran ninja groaned again as he put the paper in his hand in the rejected pile before picking up the next one and scanning it. He really should have made that law before he retired.

For the next two months, Kakashi went through meeting after meeting with prospective candidates without being able to arrive at a decision. His liaison had also lost most of her cheerfulness and regarded him with irritation and disdain. Yet, she never voiced her thoughts. He could not blame her. He did not want to be in this situation any more than the woman. The laid back ninja knew that by now the entire village was aware of their retired Hokage's predicament and at times he could feel amused stares, snickers and pitying remarks which would vanish the next moment leaving him to wonder if he just imagined it all. Of one thing he was certain; the entire village was having fun at his expense.

His self-proclaimed eternal rival, on the other hand, had no intentions of joining in on the silent amusement. When word reached Might Guy that Kakashi was attending matchmaking sessions, the spandex-wearing, bowl-haired, fuzzy-browed ninja appeared in front of Kakashi chastising him for secretly making marriage plans. Before the latter could offer an explanation, the hyperactive man laid down a challenge, confidently claiming that he will get married before his eternal rival or circumnavigate Konoha on his fingers a hundred times after two thousand one-thumbed push-ups. The very next moment a dumbfounded Kakashi stared at the — now empty — place where his self-proclaimed rival had stood, apprehensive at the turn of events. While he wished his most trusted and dearest friend all the happiness life could offer, he was not sure if the man should be allowed to reproduce. The white-haired masked jōnin shrugged, clearing his thoughts before continuing to the destination where the overly cheerful matchmaker was waiting for him.

Whether it was because none of the women were compatible with him or because he never seriously considered any of them, but two months later, after consecutive failed sessions, the inwardly irritated jōnin stood apathetically in the Hokage's office without an answer to his superior's question whereas his harried matchmaker listed her grievances irately. Kakashi could see a frown on his former student's face, correctly deducing its reason to be the woman's incessant complaining and his teacher's inability to make a decision, and the annoyed glances he received from him fortified his premonition that Naruto would act on his earlier ultimatum. Sure enough, the younger man scrutinized the folder the matchmaker had given him earlier, pulled out a paper handing it to her with further instructions, and in that moment, Kakashi knew, his fate was sealed. His bride was chosen for him.

Four days later, an unwilling Kakashi sat in a restaurant facing the woman his intrusive student had decided will become the matron of Hatake household. The woman, named Yui Amane, gave him small smile to ease the uncomfortable silence that stretched before them for the past fifteen minutes. Even though both parties were well-aware of the Hokage's orders and their inevitable new relationship, it did not dispel the feeling of discomfort and strangeness between them. It made him wonder yet again why his student was giving him such an archaic order and, failing to find a legitimate reason, he questioned the training he gave his protégé. With a loud sigh, he cleared his mind from his frustrating thoughts and struggled to focus on his would-be bride. She was a dainty, brown-haired, brown-eyed woman of around thirty with soft features that had a calming effect on the onlooker. He could not recall her from any of the matchmaking sessions he had to endure for the last two months and surmised that he might have rejected her while short-listing potential candidates the first time. He bit back a groan; of all the women Naruto could select to force his former teacher to spend the rest of his life with, the young blond randomly chose one whom Kakashi had initially dismissed as incompatible. Appraising his date one more time, the Copy Ninja acknowledged his powerlessness in the matter and decided that since they were already going to get married, it was better to have exchanged some words before the big day instead of awkward smiles, averted eyes, or even dismal thoughts. As he spoke, he placated himself with the fact that although he had no choice in regards to his marriage and even if he had initially rejected the woman, at least she seemed easy to get along with and undemanding. That was good enough; he could still implement his retirement plans without interference and that was what mattered.

As time passed, Kakashi was secretly grateful to his former student for not pushing for an immediate wedding, for it was during his courtship of his fiancée that he deemed Yui's appearance to be an intricate and well-designed mask. The woman he initially judged to be gentle and easy-going turned out to be headstrong and opinionated with a bossy streak. Even as he felt cracks emerge on his designs for a calm and quiet future with the discovery of each new trait of his partner's personality, he could not help but appreciate her strength and spirit, nor could he curb his ever-growing respect and admiration for her. He learned that her father was a ninja who died during the Kyuubi attack when she was five. Her ailing mother, a civilian, passed away a few years later leaving behind a four-year-old sister in her care. At that time, Yui gave up her chance of having a ninja career to care for her mother during her final days and later for her sister. She worked different jobs saving up money and now owned a well-to-do shop in the village. With each date, Kakashi learned more about his wife-to-be and each finding compelled him to revise his earlier idea of his married life. Eventually, he concluded that the woman would not be easy to live with but he had a feeling it would be an interesting experience.

His second plan-altering discovery was that Yui's younger sister had chosen the ninja career and now served directly under the Hokage. Kakashi racked his brain and came up with one Amane in ANBU who stood out; a petite woman who bore a resemblance to his betrothed both in appearance and personality — although the former had a hardened edge to hers due to her line of work — and correctly judged her to be his fiancée's sibling. He did not have to wait long for confirmation, since only a few days after finding out that he had a future-sister-in-law in ANBU, he was held securely against a wall with a poisoned kunai to his neck as he stared in to the cold, threatening eyes of his fiancée's only relative. Yuki Amane held her former boss immobile while she described, in graphic details, the fate of the retired Hokage should he ever aggrieve her beloved sister. The masked man mumbled his understanding and was freed just as his betrothed arrived at the entrance hall greeting him and chastising her sister for not inviting in their guest. He observed the tender, affectionate expression that Yui displayed while she lovingly scolded her sister and it reminded him of an earlier instance where a similar expression had graced her face when talking about her gentle sister. He wondered if the woman was feigning ignorance or if she was truly unaware that her younger sibling was not as gentle as she thought. Yet, Kakashi was aware that civilians were not trained like ninjas to be able to look through people's masks and he knew he could not blame Yui if she was truly ignorant of her sister's sadistic side. He was thankful that the Hokage had decided to keep his betrothal circumstances a secret letting the villagers mistakenly believe that he and Yui had met at a matchmaking meeting and decided to take things further. For Kakashi, it meant that tonight he would be leaving his fiancée's house unscathed allowing him an opportunity to devise a strategy to keep off his sadistic future-sister-in-law's radar.

The final shock came near the end of the courtship when Kakashi stood outside Yui's shop, a bouquet of long-stemmed red roses in his hands, as he sickeningly stared at the colorful assortment of cakes and sweets that lined the display window before him. Yui owned a cake shop, a store dealing with the one thing Kakashi hated with a passion. At that instant, he unleashed the tightly contained barrage of curses at Naruto and cemented his opinion that his former student did not have any good intentions when he started meddling in his teacher's life. In fact, now Kakashi was absolutely certain that all the blond brat wanted was to make him miserable and he had found the best way to do so. In a few days, Kakashi was getting a wife who was bossy and daring enough to go up against one of the most dangerous assassins in Konoha — who also happened to be the former Hokage — a sister-in-law who had weapons, skills, an overactive imagination, and the ability to make the most brutal crimes look like an accident, and a house — his haven — that was going to smell of sweets. While listing each consequence of the Hokage's convoluted scheme against him, Kakashi felt the final cracks appear in his perfectly designed plans for the future, and when he entered Yui's shop, he heard them shatter in to tiny pieces. Yet, as he moved towards his fiancée, he felt an unnatural calm engulf him, the reason of which eluded him completely.

Just because the valiant ninja felt it easy to spend time with Yui did not mean he did not have thoughts about fleeing on his wedding day. He felt jittery and suffocated as he stood next to betrothed in the Hokage's office surrounded by close family and friends. His instincts screamed at him to run fast and far causing him to send fleeting glances towards the windows. His heart beat rapidly making him question if it would burst out of his chest while his brain repeated over and over that he was making a terrible mistake. He could picture with glaring clarity every failed relationship in his life; his father who had killed himself when he was too young to understand why, his first friend who gave his life for him just when he was starting to learn about friendship, the girl he had sworn to protect yet killed by his own hands with a technique he developed, the teacher whom he worshipped and lost too soon, his first team of students he had failed from falling apart, and again his first friend whose death he ensured the second time. The images played in his mind like a movie reminding him of the crushed hopes and the ache of having his heart wrenched out over and over again because of his inability to protect those he cherished. Yet, through all the excruciating reminders, Kakashi could not find strength to move from his spot and head towards the windows he glanced at so wistfully, the doorway to his reprieve. So he went through the motions of his nuptials and when he was jerked back to the present, he realized he had missed his last chance to back out from what he knew would eventually lead to more misery. But it was done and, like he had once promised never to abandon his friends, that day he vowed he would definitely never abandon his family.

He pushed away his agonizing memories as the Hokage concluded the ceremony and offered them his blessings. The shy smile from Yui's blushing face erased the trepidation he had felt during the service, calming him. The guests came forward to congratulate them, hugging them in turns and presenting them their well-wishes, and when it was Guy's turn, Kakashi braced himself for a comic display of failure from his friend. He was not disappointed. The green jumpsuit-clad jōnin came up to them and, after giving Yui a bone-crushing hug which left her gasping for air, handed Kakashi a wrapped present. He then proceeded to loudly declare that while Kakashi may have won the marriage challenge, _he_ would win the challenge of starting the new generation. The masked groom hurriedly accepted the gift passing it over to his new bride before placing a firm hand on his friend's shoulder and trying to talk him out of his absurd ultimatum — more out of the fear of his friend's well-being than the futility of his efforts. Kakashi did not think that going around asking women to bear his children — as expected of his friend — would earn the enthusiastic ninja any favorable responses. His sincere efforts, however, only seem to fire up the other man who set another seemingly impossible task for himself should he fail to win. The white-haired assassin sighed and conceded defeat to the eternally optimistic man silently wishing him the best and hoping that the women of Konoha show him mercy. At that moment, he was utterly unaware that two weeks from the day, he would be a witness to his best friend's nuptials, surprised that there existed a woman courageous enough to take on Might Guy, yet genuinely happy that his friend had found a companion.

As everyone filed out of the Hokage's office following Kakashi and Yui's wedding, Naruto held back the newlyweds to impart on them another _direct order_. The Hokage gave his former mentor two years to produce an heir and stated — in absolutely clear words — that should Kakashi fail, he would personally oversee the creation of one. The Copy Ninja stared in shock, his visible eye widened to its limit, while Yui turned beet red at his side. When he pressed for an elaboration on the last part of the statement, Naruto offered no explanation and dismissed the pair before curtly saying that the choice rested with Kakashi. The stunned groom and the embarrassed bride were hurried out of the room and Kakashi began to speculate the blond's true motives. Initially, he had thought that Naruto was being meddlesome and trying to play matchmaker for his old teacher, but now he questioned whether the Hokage's true objective was to always have a genius Hatake residing in Konoha.

The first two months were awkward for the newlyweds. Kakashi relocated from his small apartment to a house suitable for a family near Yui's shop. In the eyes of the world, they were a blissful couple but things were drastically different behind closed doors. Kakashi held Yui at arm's length treating her as he would treat a teammate on a mission. Nevertheless, a special bond had formed between them, one of trust and dependence allowing them to develop an easy routine, having meals together and spending time with each other, and they had established a comfortable and platonic relationship. Yet, neither could deny the carnal tension smoldering between them. Kakashi chose to ignore it for, while he was no stranger to bedroom activities, he always made sure never to get romantically involved with his partners. This time, however, his partner was someone he had come to care for deeply and he knew that giving in to his lustful cravings would mean that he would have to open his mutilated heart to Yui, something he had vowed at his wedding never to do. He knew it was unfair to her, could see it in the longing glances she would cast his way, in her saddened expressions when he caught her off-guard, but the subconscious desire to protect himself from anguish kept pushing him on the path of self-inflicted misery. Yet, as time passed, his wife's yearning smiles, lingering touches, and defeated manner made him curse himself for causing grief to the woman he had come to hold dear.

It was some months in to his marriage before Kakashi was able to break free of the chains of fear and uncertainty that held him captive. Perhaps it was the alcohol that he had consumed to celebrate the end of a mission, or the hormonal rush that occurred as a result of the Icha Icha marathon on that mission, or the tension brewing between the couple, or perhaps it was a combination of it all that provided him with the courage to take the plunge. That night when he returned home, he took the hands of a waiting Yui and gently led her to his bedroom where he finally closed the distance between them. That night, they truly became husband and wife.

About a year and a half separated their meeting and the day Kakashi sat pale-faced, wide-eyed, with his lips slightly parted as he stared in shock at his wife trying to process her words. A gentle hand jolted him out of his stupor and he faced a softly smiling Yui. He posed his question, confirming the earlier information, and received a nod from her followed by a bright and eager smile. A giddy feeling burst through him as he felt his heart speed up and with slightly shaking hands, he gently brought his wife to him holding her captive in his strong arms. A baby was coming to the Hatake household.

The feared assassin came to know exactly how willful and volatile his wife could be in the months following the happy announcement. Between the sudden outbursts of inexplicable anger and the abrupt flow of tears because he was _very nice_ to satisfy her crazy midnight cravings, Kakashi felt tired and frustrated. However, the moment when his patience would truly be tested was when he would be served variations of cakes and sweets for breakfast, lunch, and dinner, leading Kakashi to briefly delibrate if he could still, somehow, implement his original retirement plan before recalling his vow and heading out for a _decent_ meal. Despite it all — the mood swings, the petty fights, the irrationality of his wife's frustrating demands and actions — every night Kakashi would gently wrap his arms around a peacefully slumbering Yui and lull himself to sleep with her soft breathing.

It all paid off some months later with the arrival of the newest Hatake. As Kakashi was handed a blanketed bundle holding a red-faced, soundly sleeping little girl, he felt the last vestiges of his doubt and fear slip away. He could now clearly see the opportunity he was given to fill his grief-stricken, hollow heart and he embraced it firmly. He could, at long last, understand why his student had given him such archaic orders going as far as threatening him with overseeing the creation of an heir, and he silently conveyed his thanks to the meddling blond brat. Sometimes, when sleep had eluded him Kakashi had wondered why he had not put up more of a fight against the marriage when he had the power to do so or why he did not run away instead of following a command that repulsed him. Now in the white hospital room, as he watched his daughter's eyes flutter and her tiny lips move as if trying to form words, he realized that he was always waiting for one more chance to open his heart to someone unconditionally, but was too afraid to grasp it. He finally identified the emotion that had seeped through his tough, subconsciously-created barrier when Yui had entered his life, the emotion he had tried vainly not to feel countless times, the same emotion he could now feel filling every wound and chasm of his broken, battered heart.

He glanced at Yui and saw her gaze lovingly at the father-daughter duo, her eyes mirroring his emotional state. He carefully shifted his daughter to one arm freeing his other to hold his wife's hand. She squeezed his hand in return, conveying her love and support and he suddenly found the words that would communicate his exact thoughts; words he knew she deserved, words he wanted her to hear, words he could not deny anymore.

"I love you."

He was no longer alone.

**THE END**


End file.
